Here's the deal: Through January 1, 2008. Our
new
book, Contented Cows MOOve Faster (all about
employee engagement and discretionary effort) is
reduced to $18 per copy.

Our original book, Contented Cows Give Better Milk
(the business case for creating a great workplace) is
reduced to $15 per copy.

Buy both books together for $30.

PLUS - we'll inscribe the books to whomever
you like,
with a personalized message (or not - if that's what
you'd prefer).

But wait - there's more

We'll even giftwrap your purchase, for
free, and ship it wherever
you'd like (not for free - sorry. Whadya want? You're
getting a great deal on some great books!) Well, Bill
and Richard, who each have 5
thumbs on each hand, won't actually wrap them. We'll
delegate that job to our crack colleagues who
possess giftwrapping as a skill. In other words, don't
worry. They'll look great!

Click here to go to our online store, and take
advantage of this holiday offer!

Featured Article - Real Leaders Act When the Wheels are Coming Off

Have you been to our blog?

This month's Fresh Milk is taken from the pages of the
Contented
Cow Blog. We won't do this often in Fresh Milk -
maybe not ever again. But we wanted you to see the
kinds of things you're likely to see when you visit the
blog. More than just a depository for our occasional
braindroppings, we've committed to make most of our
postings relevant to our topics: leadership,
discretionary effort, and creating a great workplace.

So come on by the
blog, and while you're there, sign up to have
the postings emailed to you hot off the blogpress.

.

.
.

Real Leaders Act When the Wheels are Coming
Off

By Bill Catlette
Planning to take my dad to Myrtle Beach this week, I
was unexpectedly faced with some time on my hands
this morning resultant from a last minute decision by
an overly officious Marriott timeshare rep to cancel our
long scheduled site visit because my wife was unable
to accompany us. Grr! (More on this one later.)

Hence, I opted to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, read the
paper, and catch a round of cable news before
heading to the office. In a span of less than 15
minutes, I saw one of the world's most famous
women put on a virtual clinic on leadership on CNN,
and then read in USA Today about a handful of
American men who would have done well to heed her
lesson.

Whoa! Wait. Full stop! Before you read another pixel, I
am not referring to Hillary and the pack of ankle-biters
nipping at her Jimmy Choos. No, the woman is Oprah
Winfrey; the leadership lesson arises from her actions
to investigate and resolve the claims of child abuse at
her Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in
South Africa; the men are the CEO's (former or about
to be) of Citibank, Merrill Lynch, Bear Sterns,
Countrywide Financial, et. al.

According to Oprah's public account of the situation,
fifteen students at her school recently
summoned the courage to go to the school's CEO
and inform him that a classmate was being sexually
abused by a staff member, and that others were
otherwise being mistreated.

Almost immediately, Ms. Winfrey was on a plane to
South Africa, backed up by an investigative team she'd
hired to help local authorities get to the bottom of the
matter. According to her CNN statement, she met with
every student of the school, encouraged them to
cooperate with investigators, met with the children's
parents, and in general, cleaned house. Indeed, the
dorm matrons have all been replaced, and one of the
school's employees has already been charged with
thirteen counts of criminal behavior. Ms. Winfrey
reportedly went so far as to give each of the girls a cell
phone and encouraged them to call her personally if
they ever felt the need.

Consistent with the organization's core purpose, she
made it a point to let the fifteen students who had
reported the abuse know that their brave actions were
wholly consistent with being a good leader.

Conversely, since early spring, we've been hearing
about the misdeeds and efforts by "investment
bankers" and others to slap lipstick on the rapidly
growing pig called "subprime" that is literally about to
eat tens (hundreds?) of thousands of people out of
house and home. Had Messrs. Cayne, Mozila, O'Neal,
and Prince and company been as determined as Ms.
Winfrey to get to the bottom of this mess, it is doubtful
that their shareholders and employees would still be
watching billions of invested dollars and thousands of
jobs disappear each week.

Oprah didn't dodge, duck, delay, or obfuscate. She
didn't convene a task force and give them six months
to report back. Rather, acting like someone whose
name is on the door (it is), she got her fanny on a
plane, went to Johannesburg, and started taking care
of business.

While they don't go off half cocked, at the end of the
day, good leaders act decisively because they have
two things going for them:
1) an abiding sense of right and wrong, and
2) the courage to face up to tough issues and act once
the facts are reasonably clear.

Well done, ladies.

Bring the Contented Cows Message to Your Company or Association

Want a more engaged workforce? Want the
performance benefits of creating a great place to
work? Bring Bill Catlette or Richard Hadden in to
speak or conduct leadership training for your
organization, or to keynote your association's next
convention.

Contact Bill (901-
853-9646) or Richard (904-720-0870), and let's talk about how we can
make your next meeting a colossal success!